Two years. That’s how long we waited since the reveal back in March 2023.
Now the waiting game is over. Rivian pinned down a date for the R2 to actually hit the streets. June 9.
It’s not like the car is a secret anymore. You could configure and pre-order it for months. But June 9 is different. Pre-orders become real orders. Deliveries start.
The date when pre-orders turn into actual purchases.
So what happens next?
It gets granular. Rivian will send out invitations to place official orders. The timing? It depends on when you put that deposit down and where you live. People near Rivian service centers get the call first. Everyone else? They wait.
Here’s the catch though. You can’t just buy any R2.
Not yet. The first model up for grabs is the R2 Performance with the Launch Package. Want the Premium trim? Keep your credit card close. That lands in late 2026. The Standard version? Don’t even think about it until 2027.
If you manage to snag one of these Performance models, the wait isn’t eternal. Two to six weeks for delivery, according to the company.
Want to drive it first? Book a demo at a Rivian Space. Starting June 9.
Let’s talk specs.
The R2 is smaller than the giant R1S. It aims straight for the mid-size electric SUV market. Specifically. It wants a piece of the Tesla Model Y’s lunch money.
Pricing is… complicated. The Sticker says $48,495. That sounds great. But that price tag belongs to the Standard trim. Which arrives in 2027.
What you can buy now is the Performance. That runs $57,995. You get all-wheel drive. Automony+ driver assistance. And an EPA-estimated 330-mile range.
Europe gets the cold shoulder, meanwhile.
Rivian quietly pushed its European launch from 2027 into the fog of “unspecified.” No details. No timeline. Just silence on that front.
Is that a delay? Probably. Will it come back around? Eventually.
But for now. The US market gets the keys first.
